Being stressed at work can take its toll on nearly every other element of your life. Not only will you be less productive and enjoy working much less, you will also have emotional and physical effects on your life outside of work as well. It is important that as you go to work on a daily basis that you do your best to handle your stress in the best way possible. Learning ways to manage your stress is not to say that you will rid of it altogether; however, if you can manage it, you will certainly be more productive. Here are some causes of stress that you can look out for, as well as some ways to relieve stress when you encounter it at work.

Causes of StressWork OverloadWhen employees feel like they are being worked too much or too often in the workplace, the effects can be damaging. For some, it may feel as if they have too much to accomplish as it is. Therefore, when their boss drop off another load of assignments on their desk for completion by 9 a.m. tomorrow, these employees stress levels can accelerate sharply. If you feel particularly strained or stressed in the workplace, you might want to consider work overload as the possible culprit. Poor Working ConditionsFor those who like the conditions they are working in, it is more likely that they will enjoy the time they spend at work and be more willing to be there more often. However, in poor working conditions, even the littlest things can set someone off and lead to stress build up. Although people may not have the ability to change their entire working environment, consider what changes can be made to the personal workspace and how it can become a more enjoyable work setting.

UnderappreciatedWhen you feel as if you work all of the time and never receive any gratitude, it can be hard to continue putting in the same amount of effort on a regular basis. Instead, you may begin to wonder why you put in the effort you do, especially if no one ever notices. Once this feeling of concern for the company is gone, it can be incredibly difficult to remain motivated or avoid feeling stressed.

Poor RelationshipsWhether it is a boss, coworker, or anyone an employee interacts with on a daily basis with, if workers do not like the relationships they have at work, it can make for increasingly long, stressful days. For the most part, you can hope to avoid people. However, if you are on edge each time you leave your desk to get food or go to a meeting, this type of anxiety may stem from poor work relationships.

Issues Within The CompanyIf you feel like your company is not progressing or like you do not have much in the way of job security, such sentiment can also lead to stress in your life. After all, most people work hard at their job and hope to be there for a long time. But if they feel like they might be fired at any given moment, they will continually be on edge and fearful of losing their job.

SymptomsSome symptoms to keep in mind for stress at work include increased blood pressure, concentration of cholesterol, an increase in heart rate or simply picking up smoking or other atypical behaviors. Keep an eye out for all of these symptoms to find out if your stressful state may be affecting you more than you thought.

Ways To Relieve StressStay Focused On Your ScheduleEach day when going to work, you should aim to have a schedule that you will follow throughout the day. Make sure that you have plenty of time to accomplish what you need for work, but do not forget to fit in time for lunch or a quick workout at the gym. If you have an idea of how your day is supposed to line up, then you will feel less stressed from not having to wonder if you have enough time to complete certain tasks.

Get Plenty of Food and RestYour stress levels at work may start before you even get to the office. If you are not getting enough sleep or if your diet is unbalanced, this could have lasting effects on you throughout the day. Make sure that you get the recommend amount of sleep at night and eat proper food because doing so will give you the energy and motivation to finish the day in a happy manner.

Identify StressorsIf you know what increases your stress, then you will likely have the ability to calm yourself down more quickly. You do not have to go around the office sharing your stressors with your coworkers. But by knowing what your stress triggers are, you can learn to tell when something is going to affect you and how to deal with it quickly.

Separate Work from Personal TimeIf you fail to separate work from personal time, you may never feel like you are truly off the clock. This continual pattern of work can add up and have you wondering where the time is going. To avoid this, make sure you set your personal time away from your professional time. Enjoy your time off and do things that take your mind off work. After all, your tasks will still be on your desk when you get back.

Stress at work happens to everyone. However, by being able to recognize when it is happening you to you, you can avoid some of the major issues that stress often sets in motion. Consider the tips here for recognizing stress and relieving it before it becomes a major issue.